End of the Truth
by StormOfTheNorth
Summary: And they had both thought the Netherworld Core would be the end of it.
1. Problems

**Author's Note:** Here is story number 2! Another folklore one, since im still dissatisfied with the number of fics out there. Come on guys! Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease...? Anyway this is going to be a multi-chaptered fic. Hopefully it'll turn out ok. There are a LOT of gaps in my knowledge about the whole concept of folklore, despite my finishing the game. Please bear with me.

In any case, enjoy the story! (Or try to... at least)

**Disclaimer:** Folklore would be a pretty cool thing to own... But I don't own it :(

* * *

"This is ridiculous…" Keats muttered as he tapped away furiously on his typewriter. He found his patience steadily growing thin as the ringing sound he was becoming far too familiar with, continued. Heaving a sigh, Keats relented and picked up the phone.

"…Sorry? Ah… Right… Okay then…"

After replacing the phone, Keats walked back to his desk and sat down, rubbing his temples. The sixth call in seven days. All of them were calls for help from denizens, faeries, and various other inhabitants of the Netherworld. Why everyone required his assistance all of a sudden was beyond him. Why, it wasn't even his job! Yes, after that last big incident involving the Netherworld core six months ago, he and his capabilities had definitely become famous but there was something strange about the abrupt increase in the frequency of the calls. A little while ago, he only received the occasional call from a fellow halflive, or even a desperate faery.

These days he barely had time to write his article for the latest issue of Unknown Realm.

Ring. Ring. Ring. _Simply fantastic…_

Groaning, Keats quickly snatched up the object of his frustration.

"…Eh? From HellRealm too, hmm? ...Yes, yes, I'll be there in a moment…"

Keats dropped the phone back onto the receiver with a sharp 'thunk', feeling a migraine coming on. He smiled grimly. He thought that humans were the only ones who got headaches. Living ones, that is. Suddenly craving that absurd flavoured tea that Ellen had brought him weeks ago, Keats strode toward his little kitchenette and started boiling some water. 'Addicted' might've been too strong a word to use in this case, but Keats had definitely taken a strong liking towards that particular kind of tea, though he was loathe to admit it – especially to Ellen.

Humming a tune that Ganconer liked to play often in the pub, Keats vaguely pondered the memory that went back nearly 4 months. She had bristled in that oddly endearing way when he scoffed at her after she told him her favourite type of tea and offered him some. _Strawberry lemon flavour indeed… _He thought with a chuckle.

The kettle whistled, and Keats quickly poured himself some strawberry-lemon tea, downing it in two gulps and wincing as the hot liquid burned his throat. Keats pulled on his long coat, distractedly wondering if Ellen was as busy as he was. After all, she was the Cloak's 'chosen one', and he was a mere guardian. How irksome it would be if she was living happily, wherever she was, while he was stuck here helping the entire population of every Realm in the Netherworld. Dismayed at the thought, Keats forcibly pushed it to the back of his mind. With a deep breath and one last wistful look at his unfinished article, Keats walked out of his office and through the door that now read "HellRealm" above it.

Keats twitched slightly, taking in the familiar sight of little streams of water, eerily glowing red crystals, and an over-abundance of rock and dust. Altogether, this formed the landscape of man's perception of an afterlife in Hell.

Which, Keats had commented to Belgae once before, wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. It was hot enough to cause discomfort, but the heat wasn't unbearable. In the distance Keats recognised the gleeful, mischievous cries of boggarts, not so far ahead. However, today Keats wasn't in the mood to exercise his folks, nor did he have the time. He needed to get to the Inquisition Bridge, find out who called him, and what exactly was going on. Keats stepped over to the glowing, myriad-hued, crystalline flower to access a doorway to another region in HellRealm. Search Crystal, Belgae had called it, if Keats remembered correctly.

Keats didn't expect the thing to be broken. Looking at it critically, Keats exhaled defeatedly. He would have to take the long way.

Running past various folks (including a particularly cranky Fomoire), Keats reached the Condemnation Tower in record time. Panting slightly, Keats fought his way up, without too much trouble. After reaching the top, Keats barely called out Killmoulis in time to stop a charging Durandal, engulfed in roaring flames. Staggering from the recoil, and stunned for a split second, Keats hastily recovered and froze the Durandal with Afanc before sprinting to the old gate leading to the Inquisition Bridge.

Running through the gateway, Keats released the breath he didn't know he was holding. Ah yes. He remembered he never really liked HellRealm.

"Oi! You!"

Cautiously, Keats looked up and turned his head towards the sound of the voice. Upon seeing a hag-looking, cloak-wearing creature, he felt a wave of relief. Finally, not an enemy.

"Ay? You're that guy, ay? What was it… Pete or somefink? Yeah! The one that 'elped that girl!" The HellRealm inhabitant chattered excitedly.

"…Keats." Said guy muttered, already becoming irritated by the sound of the hag creature's voice. "I take it the you were the one who called-?"

"-So there's been all this weird stuff goin' on in the court and stuff," The HellRealm denizen interrupted. "What with the new judge makin' all these rules and the like, an' well, some'un like you could pro'lly sort all this stuff out, y'kno?"

"…Right. I don't suppose you could update me? It's been a while since I last visited," Keats replied dryly.

"Eh? Ah 'kay 'kay, I see, well, ever since you and Mistress Ellen both defeated Judge Yama, a new Judge has gotta be appoint'd a'ight? Always gotta have a judge, an' that's just the way it works round here, see-"

"And this new judge is…?"

"Well 'is name's Gazuk! Real nasty piece of work if you ask me…"

"And I suspect he's the one who deactivated the Search Crystals?"

"What? Oh yeah, those things! Told ya 'e was bonkas!" The denizen said earnestly.

"Right, yes, yes…" Keats said, impatience creeping into his voice. "But what do you want me to do about it?"

"Glad yer to the point Mr Wheat! So you see…" The hag creature lowered its head and turned away momentarily. "We've been tryin' to tell 'im that 'is trials aren't fair an' such, but he won' listen to a bunch o' decent guys like us. 'Sides that, he's might'y strong! Could pro'lly get rid of us in one blow! That's why I called ya – Gazuk'd listen to some'un like _you_."

Keats eyed the HellRealm denizen, the corners of his mouth tugging downwards in a frown. A short silence ensued, which the denizen took to be not such a good thing. With a sigh, Keats rose to his feet, brushing the dirt off his trousers. He began a slow walk towards the HellRealm Court, the denizen trailing along behind him.

"Yeah! I knew ya'd help us out! I knew it!" The denizen said cheerfully, falling into step beside him. "Name's Koop, by the way. Nice to meetcha Mr Sleets!"

"…My pleasure, really," Keats drawled. Koop, however, was seemingly oblivious to the dripping sarcasm in his voice.

Keats truly wondered when it was that he found a conscience.

* * *

Ellen liked simplicity. And so that was how she lived her life. She enjoyed watering her roses on a warm summer's day. She was happy when she was painting picturesque scenes of children playing in the park. She felt at peace while sitting outside drinking a cup of her favourite strawberry lemon tea while a gentle breeze teased the strands of her blonde hair.

Sadly, not every day was like this. As much as Ellen tried to lead a normal, quiet life; she knew full well that she simply couldn't. It had been half a year, but Ellen could still clearly recall the events of what happened in the Netherworld Core. And she knew it wasn't all a big, frighteningly detailed dream because she still made trips to the Netherworld today. And Ellen had long since found out that you didn't need to be in Doolin to be able to traverse the Netherworld Realms.

Whenever Ellen found someone troubled by the dead, she now only required an object of importance to that dead person, and she would be able to hear their voice without needing to offer to the Henge in Doolin. The object then became something of a teleporter, transporting her to the Netherworld Realm concerned when she wished. She wasn't completely sure she knew how the whole thing worked, but she did remember Keats explaining to her how it might've had something to do with absorbing the Seal of Baral and some other details she either didn't understand, or had forgotten.

Needless to say, Ellen's soul-saving/messenger duties went fairly smoothly, and she was always happy to help people in need, her compassion overruling her own desires.

One cloudy afternoon, as Ellen was walking home from the grocery store, a short, old lady hobbled over to her. Ellen gave her a small smile as she approached. The lady immediately thrust out her hand and grabbed Ellen's shoulder with an almost unreal agility, as soon as she was within range. Ellen gasped in surprise, nearly dropping her day's shopping.

"Excuse me for asking," she rasped in a trembling voice. "But they tell me you're the only one who can help me…"

"P-please, let go of me, ma'am," Ellen murmured, wincing as the lady's grip tightened.

"A medium! A medium!" The woman cried, desperation seeping into her voice like wine onto a cloth. "They say y-you can speak to the dead!"

"I beg your pardon?" Ellen asked shakily, but she had already heard enough to know where this was going.

"My granddaughter! She's gone! The police say she died in the fire but I know the truth - I saw them!" The lady sobbed, the words tumbling out of her mouth. Her voice lowered to a whisper and Ellen had to strain her ears to hear what she said next.

"The faeries took her."

Ellen's eyes widened in shock. No… It couldn't have been… Inhabitants of the Netherworld stayed in the Netherworld. Unless, they were halflives? Ellen shook her head. She definitely didn't know how to figure this one out on her own. Nevertheless her priority at the moment was to help out this woman who had lost her granddaughter.

"I think I can help…" Ellen said slowly.

The woman's sobs ceased abruptly and her grip on Ellen's shoulder loosened fractionally. Then, as quickly as they had gone, her tears returned, streaming down her face.

"Thank you… Thank you…"

"Sure…" Ellen said smiling uncertainly. She inhaled deeply and asked the question she was now rather well-acquainted with.

"Did she leave behind anything important?"

* * *

Ellen held the little clover-shaped locket in her hands turning it over to examine it, and every so often attempting to pry it open, to no avail. It was made of a type of green stone and had intricate golden patterns on it, gleaming in the light. Ellen placed the locket down onto her desk in defeat. She frowned, wondering how such a pretty little trinket could be so… difficult. She gazed at it momentarily before tearing her eyes away with a sigh.

Maybe the lady was lying. But then again, why would the woman give her the locket? It looked valuable, and was in good condition too. Was the woman crazy then? Because Ellen definitely could not hear the voice of her granddaughter.

"Think…" Ellen mumbled, closing her eyes in concentration. Ellen reopened her eyes to find that the locket was now glowing jade green and shook slightly. Ellen blinked in surprise, and then saw that the locket had returned to its lifeless state.

_Strange…_ Ellen mused. Then, a thought occurred to her.

Wasn't she only able to hear voices of the _dead_? If this girl had really been taken by the "faeries", then there should be a possibility of her being alive.

_In the Netherworld,_ Ellen thought, a worried look forming on her delicate features.

Even then, how in the Netherworld was she going to find the girl if she couldn't even hear her voice, let alone find the right Realm?

Feeling slightly dizzy from thinking so much, Ellen decided to retire for the night. She would figure this out in the morning. Right now there was only one person she knew, that might be able to help her. Ellen smiled. She hadn't seen him in a while.

_So it was high time she paid him a visit._

_

* * *

_

**Eh, first chapter finished! So how was it? Yeah... Search Crystals... *cough* does anyone know what they're ACTUALLY called?  
EDITED: So they're portals! Ahaha I should've known... Thanks goes to Kyugan!**

**Review please! :] It gives me motivation to continue. Or if you don't like something about the story, do tell, and I'll do better next time, aye?**


	2. Leads

**AN: Sorry... I haven't updated in foreverrrrrr *ashamed* this was sitting around on my computer though, and I finished it, and here it is! Chapter 2 of End of the Truth!**  
**I hope you guys enjoy it at least ^^;**

* * *

The HellRealm Court looked as ominous as it did the last time Keats had been there. Dark red clouds swirling in a blood red sky over a russet red court. Maybe the denizens liked the colour scheme, but Keats wasn't quite as fond of it.

He had half hoped that his appearance would stir up a commotion. He wasn't disappointed. As soon as he walked in through the rusted iron double doors after Koop, many hisses, low murmurs, and cries of disbelief rang throughout the court. Keats, however, was neither intimidated, nor insulted. On the contrary, he was rather amused that he had an effect of this degree on such a large crowd.

"Court is now in session!" a deep voice boomed. The muttering died down until the entire court was silent. Nonchalantly, Keats' hands found their usual place in his pockets as he stepped to Koop's left. Three other HellRealm denizens took their places to his right.

_Probably Koop's friends…_ Keats thought, sparing them a sideways glance before turning back to face the newly appointed Judge.

A figure cloaked in black stood from his seat, high above the rest of the audience. Keats squinted through his glasses to get a better look. He saw that the Judge was wearing a black cloak and a white mask with numerous spikes protruding from it. Through two holes in the mask, a pair of bright yellow eyes could be seen, their gaze directed at Keats with what seemed like faintest inklings of interest.

Keats was far from impressed. The Judge looked plain, but Keats knew better than to underestimate him. _Gazuk? Yeah, that was his name… _Keats thought absently.

"Denizens Koop, Agith, Beagar, Sazir, and also…" Judge Gazuk paused, yellow eyes glittering. "It appears we have an important guest among us, who has taken the time to join our court…"

More muttering. Gazuk lazily knocked the gavel against the sound block in front of him.

"To what do we owe the honour, Sir Keats?" the Judge said in a mocking tone. Keats pushed up his glasses, prepared to give his two cents on the matter, but Koop quickly snatched the opportunity to speak.

"Y'see, Judge," said the angry denizen. "I don' think you're bein' a good Judge! Judges are s'posed t'be fair, aren't they?" Koop looked to his friends, who quickly nodded vigorously in affirmation. Keats resisted the insane urge to roll his eyes and leave the court and the group to their devices. He hadn't realized he was siding with a bunch of idiots when he answered their call.

"Is that so…?" the Judge drawled. Keats frowned. He concluded that he didn't like the new Judge. Sure, _Yama_ wasn't exactly a pleasant fellow, but at least he was bearable (if you ignore his attempt at killing you, Keats added mentally). There was just something about Gazuk's voice that irked him. It sounded… well… almost like his own caustic tone sometimes. Keats felt the corners of his mouth quirking upwards. If Keats had met someone who was just like himself, he was certain that he wouldn't like him. He wondered how Ellen had managed to keep up her polite, even cheerful on occasion, tone. Then again he would never really understand that girl.

_Woman_, he corrected. But he could think no more on the subject, as the Judge began to speak again.

"Do the prosecutors have any evidence supporting their claim?"

Keats looked sharply over at the suddenly unsure denizens wondering for the hundredth time when and how he came to have a conscience. Or how it had grown so quickly. Well, he thought so, at least.

Finally Koop opened his mouth again nervously. "Ahhhm… well…"

Seconds ticked by. The whole thing was ridiculous. You didn't go to a court to accuse the Judge. Keats, feeling impatient, decided to seize his opportunity to at least obtain some information.

"If I may, Judge," he drawled. "I noticed upon my arrival here that the HellRealm Portals have been deactivated. Is it true that you are the one who has done this, as the denizen Koop has informed me?"

Keats held his ground as two bright yellow pinpricks pierced him in scrutiny. Gazuk let the silence hang briefly before responding an affirmation. Keats frowned. Maybe it was something in the Judge's voice, or mannerisms but he had the sudden thought that the Judge was amused. Trying to shake the feeling, Keats continued.

"I recall an acquaintance of mine informing me that the Portals within the realms should not be tampered with, unless dire circumstances are present." Keats paused and looked around warily. "Pardon me if I seem ignorant as I don't frequent this realm, but does the Judge have such power here?"

The mutters started up again. Keats suspected then that Gazuk didn't justify properly to the denizens why he shut down the Portals. He still wasn't sure though, and he itched to know what they were all thinking. Keats' face, however, showed none of his racing thoughts, his mask of grim composure set. The gavel was heard once again.

"It is true, I am the reason why the Portals in HellRealm are inactive. However…" Gazuk's eyes glittered eerily. "I have only done this because it appears there is a thief among us."

He paused, allowing an almost tangible silence to ensue. Keats frowned all the while. He did not like where this was going.

"I call forth your attention, denizens of HellRealm!" the Judge boomed. "An item of incomparable value has been taken from us – Perighan's Flame!"

There was a sudden uproar as the audience hissed and howled at the Judge's words. Keats glanced at Koop and his friends questioningly. Koop looked rather pale as he turned towards Keats.

"Uhh oh… Perighan's Flame…" Koop stammered.

"What is it?" Keats asked impatiently. Koop said nothing more, so one of his friends answered Keats' question instead.

"P-Perighan's Flame is a d-demon pendant of sorts…" the denizen said shakily. "I h-hear that the beast Perighan can be called with it…"

"Perighan, hm…"

The denizens beside him looked even paler than usual. Keats pushed his glasses up in bemusement. It seemed there was more trouble here than he had bargained for. He looked up at the Judge, who was watching them, eyes glittering all the while. Keats was beginning to regret answering the phone. Despite this, he couldn't deny that part of him was itching with curiosity. Another big scoop couldn't hurt, could it?

"Pardon if I'm a little lost, but what exactly is the problem?" Keats' voice rang out among the din. The Judge seemed amused.

"Why surely you have heard of the beast known as Perighan?" Judge Gazuk said eerily.

"I'm afraid you'll have to fill me in," he responded, grim smile in place. The whole courtroom was deathly quiet by now, all awaiting the Judge's response.

"Perighan is a demon beast. One that devours souls, and…" Gazuk sneered. "It is known as the Second Judge."

_Spare me the drama_, Keats thought to himself.

"So beings found guilty in this court are given to this 'Perighan?'"

"Not all, I assure you, Keats. Only the most wicked are punished by Perighan." The Judge's eyes gleamed. Shaking off the feeling of unease slowly creeping up on him, Keats pressed on.

"And let me guess, the control of this creature being in an outsider's possession poses a potential threat to HellRealm?" The denizens beside him shifted uncomfortably, but Keats ignored them. The Judge stared. The entire courtroom was holding its breath. The sinking feeling in Keats' stomach never left him, and when Judge began to speak, he predicted almost word for word the painfully clichéd statement he was about to make.

"Oh… But it's so much worse than that."

* * *

Ellen was finally ready to go. She held onto the green locket tightly, rubbing it with her fingers. She thought of taking off the silver medallion she usually wore and replacing it with the locket, but decided against it. Truth be told, Ellen was more than a little bit afraid of the locket, feeling that it would strangle her with the chain it was on, were it to hang around her neck. Ellen sighed. She was being irrational, but she couldn't ignore the sensation.

She inhaled, exhaled, then repeated the process. She was about to leave when…

_What if he doesn't want to see me? _

Chewing her lip nervously, Ellen remembered how Keats had told her before she was a bother and a distraction from his work. And true to his word, he never really seemed to appreciate her visits. Ellen shook her head. It was just Keats, why should she be worried? After what they had been through… and this seemed to be important.

Before she could think again, Ellen accessed the way to Keats' office and vanished from the Real world. She was there almost instantly, standing just outside his door. She had come here only a few times, but it was enough to make her feel familiar. Boldly, Ellen raised her hand and knocked on the dusty red door. Once, twice, and after a brief moment of indecision, a third knock came. Ellen waited, but no answer came. Silence filled the corridor. Cautiously, Ellen opened the door to Keats' office and peeked inside. Ellen found, to her relief, that it looked like it always did. Thin rays of sunlight crept into the room through gaps in the blinds while the sound of a clock ticking could be heard nearby. Papers were strewn across Keats' desk along with his typewriter, tape recorder, several old-looking books, and _lots_ of dust. Ellen giggled. It looked like Keats hadn't been keeping up with his cleaning.

So everything was present and accounted for. Minus the owner of the cluttered office of course.

Ellen wasn't too worried, however. This wasn't the first time she had visited while Keats was away. It wasn't often he left his office, but it wasn't out of the ordinary for Keats to leave his office to wherever he hurried off to. Ellen stepped into the little kitchenette where she usually found herself boiling water to make tea. She meandered over to a stain she spotted on the counter next to an almost empty cup. And Ellen also noticed the box of teabags near the cup branded 'Strawberry-Lemon Flavour.' Aha. _I knew he liked it_, she thought, allowing herself a small smile.

Ellen paced back to Keats' office, unsure of what to do next. She fingered the green pendant in her pocket.

_Maybe Bogle knows more about this? The woman did mention 'faeries'…_ Ellen thought. Decisively, Ellen quickly scrawled a note, left it on Keats' desk, and returned to her apartment in the real world.

* * *

Keats left the Courtroom in a daze, with Koop and his friends trailing behind him.

"Uhh, thanks fer 'elpin' us back there' mister!" Keats pinched the bridge of his nose without stopping to wait for the denizens behind him.

"It was as much for my sake as it was yours," Keats muttered. "I had better get more than a 'thank you' by the end of this." He knew already though.

_This was going to end up being more trouble than it was worth._

"Ahh, it's fer a good cause mate!" Koop said encouragingly. Keats swung around glaring coldly at them. He opened his mouth, thought better of it, then closed it again.

"Just… don't get into more trouble again okay?" Keats said wearily. He opened the portal back to his office and stepped into it while Koop and his friends just stared, dumbstruck.

Keats sank into his chair, placed his elbows on the desk, and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. The sleep he needed was getting harder to find. How on earth was he going to find a pendant in the Netherworld? He didn't even know what it looked like, let alone which Realm to look in first. Blinking blearily, he found something out of place on his cluttered table, and picked it up. His eyebrows lifted slightly as he read the message on the scrap sheet of paper.

_Keats,_

_I have something I need help with. I'm going to the Faery Realm, but I'll be back. If you return before I do, then could you please meet me there?_

_-Ellen_

Interesting. Ellen hadn't visited him in a while, but besides that, Keats felt the beginning of a new mystery poking temptingly at his mind. Added to that, there was a possibility that this was a lead for his current dilemma.

"Ah, Sir Keats!"

Keats looked up and spotted the owner of the voice. His eyes narrowed. "You should stop doing that…" he said wearily.

"My apologies," Belgae responded, invisible head bowed slightly. "Miss Ellen was here not too long ago."

"So I noticed," Keats said, holding up the note. "What were you two doing in my office?"

"Well, truth be told, I did not make my presence known to her."

Keats snorted. "She probably mistook you for a hat rack."

"I am invisible, you know," Belgae said defensively. Keats waved him off dismissively. "In any case, what happened?"

"Hmph. Well, I merely dropped by for a visit-"

"-You never come here just to 'visit'," Keats cut in, eyebrows raised.

"-but Miss Ellen was already here," Belgae continued, ignoring the jab. The pair had formed a relationship of mutual respect, close to friendship, but not quite there. "Most likely she was looking for you, so when she saw you weren't here, she scribbled down a note, then took off. She appeared to be in a hurry, might I add."

"Indeed," Keats muttered. "Now, do you mind telling me why you're really here before I run off after her?"

"I was just wondering how you were," Belgae said innocently. "I hear of your heroic antics often across the Netherworlds."

"Oh, ha ha," Keats deadpanned. He didn't buy his story for a second, but decided to raise the topic later. "You've come by at the wrong time for an idle chat. Tag along, if you want though, I'm headed for the Faery Realm."

"Hmm. I might just take you up on that offer."

"Brilliant. Let's go then." Keats stretched, before briskly exiting his room and accessing a door to the Faery Realm, Belgae following close behind.

And behind Belgae, another shadow joined theirs.

* * *

**Ohh what now? Hehe, well, I can't promise when I'll next update, especially now that school's started again, but I'll try. That's all I can offer.  
What do you guys think? More of Ellen, next chapter!  
**


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